Radio Horton came to life on 7th July 1964, with the immortal words: “This is Radio Horton calling.” The station’s founders were journalists Ted Hanson MBE and Graham Wilton and ever since those humble beginnings, Radio Horton has gone from strength to strength.

In 2014, our Golden Jubilee year, the station was awarded the honour of becoming the Town Mayor’s chosen charity for 2014. And last year, Ted Hanson won the prestigious Hospital Broadcasting Association’s (HBA) Lifetime Achievement Award.

With more than 51 years under its belt, Radio Horton remains patient’s bedside friend. Our tag line is “The Station That’s Good For You,” and from all the positive feedback we receive from patients and their families, it appears we are indeed helping to cheer them and keep them in touch with what is going on around them within the hospital, Banbury and in the world at large.

We host a series of key, high profile, outside events during the year, from the Katharine House Midnight Walk, to Banbury Canal Day and the Santa Fun Run. Where our team of dedicated volunteers reach out to the community and broadcast back to patients in hospital.

Radio Horton is constantly looking to find people who are prepared to give their time in order to produce a wide variety of professional programmes and to spend time on hospital wards talking to the longer term patients, gathering music requests for our shows, entertaining those that may need cheering up and comforting the concerned.

The station broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year. While some of these programmes are pre-recorded, this is a huge undertaking. The station can also be heard by clicking the Listen Live button above where the internet streaming links patients in hospital with friends and family throughout the world via the web. You can also tune in via Smart Phones through the Tune In radio app.

Radio Horton is a charitable trust and relies purely on donations to survive. We are very grateful to all our sponsors from businesses and members of the public, your support is vital. To all of you our heartfelt thanks.

If you are reading this from a hospital bed, we wish you a speedy recovery and hope we have helped your stay in hospital to be a bit more bearable.

We’re always looking to welcome Volunteers to the Radio Horton team. Whether you’re interested in broadcasting, assisting at community events or meeting our prime listeners, the patients at the Horton General Hospital, why not check out our Volunteering opportunities and give us a shout!

Volunteering Verdict

Here’s a short insider as to what it’s like to be part of the Radio Horton team…

Volunteering at Radio Horton is a great way to meet new people and get involved in a worthy and fun charity. I’m so glad to have joined such a nice, friendly team at the station who care not only about the hospital but about Banbury too – Lisa Simmons